Failing to Support National Culture: A Romanian Story

On January 15th, Romanians celebrate their National Culture Day. This year they also celebrate 172 years from the birth of their national poet, Mihai Eminescu. This is when many political leaders praise their contribution to the national Culture.

But what is behind all these press releases and PR actions? How much do these politicians support the national Culture? What’s left after January 15th’s small talk is gone and the politicians get back to their offices?

Almost nothing. No. Let us rephrase it. Let’s not exaggerate. To be more precise, about 0.1% is left. That’s the national Culture’s percentage of GDP each year from the budget. To have a better picture of how’s the Culture supported by the Government in the country, suffice it to say that the minister of Culture was more than content with the budget allocated.

The national culture has allocated for the first time a budget representing 0.1% of GDP, 45% higher than in 2021, a premise for the fulfilment at a decent level of the obligations incumbent on the ministry.

Romanian Minister of Culture Lucian Romascanu on the budget received in 2022

Say again? When the average budget for Culture in the EU member states is around 1%, one country cannot boast with a ten times less budget, no matter what.

Romania is a country where Culture is not supported at a proper level. The very few actions coming from the minister barely complete the press releases issued in a year. More talk than work – that seems to be the motto of the Government.

Let’s be clear here: it’s not about this Government. It’s not about the former Government. It’s about ALL the Prime Ministers leading this country, about all the politicians leading the Ministry of Culture in the last 32 years.

What is to be done?

We’re not specialists, and we cannot replace all those brilliant brains supposed to promote the Romanian Culture in the country and abroad. But it definitely has something to do with allocating more money to the budget of the Ministry of Culture.

No culture in the world can survive without proper budgeting. Yes, the national Culture needs no state when considering all those artists trying to get the legacy of an entire nation further, on their own. But the state could help these tens of thousands of artists, whether writers, painters, actors or composers, survive or, why not, thrive.

Maybe this post is read by all those praising their achievements in the name of national Culture. Or perhaps it is read by all those who actually do something for the Romanian Culture. Either way, we believe we present a realistic situation behind all that small talk on January 15th.